MERRILL Installs the First RAPTOCUT Machine in the United States
With this new machine the contract manufacturing service provider adds more CNC machining capabilities, specifically in the aerospace machining and engineering space.
Posted: January 26, 2022
America’s first RAPTOCUT milling machine was installed into MERRILL’s portfolio thanks to a partnership with FPT Industrie S.p.A. and Fadal Engineering. The machining companies joined forces to integrate the revolutionary machine into MERRILL’s large component machining facility.
“At MERRILL, we are constantly looking for ways to expand our offerings and broaden our portfolio,” said Bob Yackel, President of MERRILL. “FPT and Fadal truly understand the ever-changing needs of the manufacturing landscape. We’ve invested in FPT since 2018, and they have continuously produced equipment that meets our growing needs. Their technology has allowed us to remain at the forefront of the CNC machining industry and pioneer production in industries across the board.”
The machine will help add additional CNC machining capabilities—specifically in the American aerospace machining and engineering space—in high-volume, high-speed aluminum plate machining to meet growing production requirements for aircraft and defense related equipment. The RAPTOCUT offers best in class, high speed, high metal removal rate with a spindle speed of 30,000 rpm at 140 hp. This state-of-the-art technology in high-speed aluminum machining has allowed the American-based company to expand their processing and production of aerospace components.
“This is a very unique machine with four pending international patents,” explains Ezhil Viswanathan, Vice President – Sales, FPT North America. “The RAPTOCUT is truly game changing when it comes to critical aerospace and defense products that require multi-axis machining with high tolerance complex geometry. It’s very easy to load a vertical pallet, that rotates quickly to a horizontal position. Setting up and machining this way provides exceptional chip evacuation. The twin pallet system optimizes the time to load the next part.”
The RAPTOCUT further expands MERRILL’s production capabilities with a machining envelope of 280” x 100” x 40” and cutting speed of 2,000 ipm for aluminum alloy parts. Downtime is eliminated with the Automatic Pallet System, which allows for staging and setup of the next part, without interrupting operation.
Prior to the most recent installation of the RAPTOCUT, MERRILL invested in an FPT DINOMAX, a 20’ x 10’ vertical gantry machine suitable for heavy duty machining as well as high-speed cutting. The DINOMAX boasts automatic head changing capabilities, giving MERRILL the flexibility to machine a range of materials from Inconel to composites.
“Flexibility is key when it comes to our machinery portfolio,” said Jeff Yackel, VP of MERRILL. “The RAPTOCUT and DINOMAX from FPT give us the ability to adapt our production to machine a range of materials with the highest machining envelope possible.”
RAPTOCUT is a travelling-column milling machine with lowered and symmetrical trim combined with a uniquely designed flexible manufacturing system and tilting table. The machine is an exemplary high-speed, high-accuracy machine that can be used to manufacture bulkheads and aluminum aeronautic structural components.
Through an international partnership, FADAL Precision Technologies operates as the North American Importer of FPT products. Together, FADAL and FPT have joined forces to connect American CNC companies like MERRILL with a comprehensive line of machines and controllers to meet any businesses’ manufacturing needs. The collaboration between the two CNC machinery manufacturers will ensure that state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line machinery continues to be available for American manufacturers in industries across the board.
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